Haggis, neeps and tatties with whisky sauce
A proper Burns Night plate: roasted haggis with buttery mashed tatties, creamy neeps and a rich whisky sauce.
This is a Burns Night staple done the easy way: a whole haggis roasted gently, buttery tatties and creamy neeps, finished with a warming whisky sauce. Perfect for a celebratory supper when you want the hearth-side flavours without faff.
Buy a good-quality ready-made haggis and focus on perfect mashes and the sauce — they’re what make the plate sing. Serves four as a generous main for Burns Night or a cosy winter supper.
Ingredients
- 900 g haggis
- 800 g swede — peeled and cut into even chunks
- 800 g floury potatoes — peeled and cut into even chunks
- 100 g butter
- 175 ml double cream — total for mashes and sauce
- 50 ml milk
- 5 ml sea salt — for boiling water; adjust to taste when seasoning
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground, to taste
- 1 shallot — finely chopped
- 60 ml whisky — use a good dram you wouldn't mind the flavour of
- 150 ml chicken stock — or vegetable stock
- 15 ml grain mustard
- 10 g fresh parsley — finely chopped, to garnish
Equipment
- large saucepan with lid
- baking tray
- potato masher or ricer
- small heavy-based frying pan
- colander
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C conventional. Place the whole haggis on a baking tray and wrap loosely in foil to stop the casing drying.
Put the wrapped haggis in the preheated oven and roast for 1 hour 15 minutes.
While the haggis starts roasting, peel the swede and potatoes and cut into even 3–4 cm chunks so they cook evenly.
Place the swede and potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, add the sea salt, bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 25 minutes or until both are tender when pierced.
While the veg cooks, make the whisky sauce: melt 25 g of the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat, add the finely chopped shallot and sweat for 3–4 minutes until soft (do not brown).
Remove the pan from the heat, add the whisky and — if you’re confident — carefully ignite to burn off the spirits. If you prefer not to ignite, return the pan to the heat and bubble the whisky for 1 minute to reduce slightly.
Add the chicken stock to the pan and simmer for 4–5 minutes to reduce slightly, then stir in the double cream, grain mustard and the remaining butter. Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, then season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
Drain the swede and potatoes well. Return the potatoes to the pan, add 50 g butter, 50 ml double cream and the milk; mash until smooth and season with sea salt and black pepper.
Mash the swede with 25 g butter and a little double cream if you like it creamier. Season well with sea salt and black pepper.
When the oven timer finishes, remove the haggis and leave to rest, still wrapped, for 10 minutes.
Unwrap the haggis, cut a large spoonful from the casing and place spooned haggis or slices on plates with a mound of tatties and a scoop of neeps. Spoon over the whisky sauce and scatter with chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
Tips
- Do not pierce the haggis casing before cooking — that’s the quickest way to a dry, collapsing haggis.
- Cut vegetables to similar sizes so swede and tatties finish together; start them in cold water for even cooking.
- If you don’t want to flambé, simmer the whisky for a minute to reduce — the flavour will still be there without the flames.
- Make the sauce while the veg cooks to save time; keep it on low so it’s warm when you plate up.
- Leftovers: keep components separate. Reheat haggis wrapped in foil at 160°C fan/180°C conventional for 15–20 minutes; reheat mashes gently with a splash of milk.
Substitutions
haggis → vegetarian haggis (store-bought pea/oat-based)
Noticeably differentchicken stock → vegetable stock, same quantity
Stays closedouble cream → single cream, same quantity (sauce will be a little thinner)
Stays closeswede → butternut squash, same quantity
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 1330
- Calories
- 45 g
- Protein
- 60 g
- Carbs
- 102 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
How long will a whole haggis feed?
A 900 g haggis comfortably serves four as a main with neeps and tatties; adjust if you’re serving larger appetites or many sides.
Can I cook the haggis on the hob instead of the oven?
Yes — you can steam a whole haggis in a large saucepan with an inch of water and a lid for about 1–1¼ hours, but keep an eye to ensure it doesn’t boil dry.
Do I have to flambé the whisky?
No — flambéing burns off some alcohol and adds theatre, but simply simmering the whisky for a minute achieves much of the flavour without the flame.
Can I make this ahead?
You can cook the haggis and make the mashes earlier in the day; cool, refrigerate separately and reheat gently. Make the whisky sauce just before serving for best texture.
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